Igniter for gas-lamps.



1 P. w. HILL. IGNITER FOR GAS LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16', 1910.

1,009,969. Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FEED W. HILL, OF CHATHAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITER FOR GAS-LAMPS.

Application filed March 16, 1910.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRiJD IV. HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chatham, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters forGas-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lighting devices for acetylene lamps onautomobiles, and has for its object to provide such a device which .maybe attached to any of the usual types of lamps already in use, withoutrequiring changes in the construction thereof.

An important object is to provide such a device which will positivelyignite gases passing through the tip of such lamps if of properCharacter for hurning.

It frequently happens that, when using acetylene lamps at night upon anautomobile when driving over rough country roads, or in gusty winds, thelights will be jarred or blown out, involving considerable difficulty inrelighting the same, because of the necessity for stopping the machineand the difliculty of lighting the lamps with the annoying draft causedby the movement of air currents, which tend to blow out a match.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a deviceadapted to be operated from the dashboard by means of which acetylene orother gas lamps may be relighted.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, and it will be understood that changes in the specificstructure shown and desoribed may he made within the scope of the claimwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side view of an automobile equipped withmy device, showing diagrammatically the wiring for the same, analternative wiring system being shown in dot-ted lines, Fig. 2 is adetail front view of a burner having my device attached thereto, Fig. 8is a side view of a burner so equipped, Fig. 4 is a top view of theburner, Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a motor vehicle A equippedwith lamps of any suitable Character, provided with the usual Y tips 10having the oppositely extended upwardly inclned arms 11 through theadjacent inner faces of which open the orifices 12, through which gas isadapted to Specification of Letters I'atent.

Pat-ented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 549,648.

pass from the usual interior passage for ignition.

My igniter is attached to the stem 18 of the burner, and comprises thelarge base block 1a of suitable insulating material, such as fiber orporcelain, and is in the form of a rectangular body portion 15, from oneend of which extends diagonally the terminal carrying arm. In one sideof the body portion there is formed an approximately semicircular notch17, on opposite sides of which there are passages '18 extending e11-tirely through the block in its major plane, and in the diagonalextension 16 there is a similar passage 19 having an enlargement 20 onthe same side of the block with the notch 17.

The block 14 is disposed against the stem of the hurner with the notch17 partly encircling` tle stem adjacent the bases of the arms 11, andengaged against the opposite side of the stem, there is a terminalmemiber 21 comprising a strip of sheet metal i through headed bolts 25which are projected through the block and receive thereover nuts 26 bywhich the block and terminal member 21 are securely clamped upon thestem of the burner. The terminal member 21 may be provided with asuitable downwardly extending tongue 22, adapted to contact with themetal base of the burner, whereby the terminal isv properly grounded.The terminal member 21 is provided with a sparking arm 23, projectingupward to one side of one of the arms 11, and having its eX- tremityturned inwardly and disposed closely adjacent the edge of the orifice12. A headed bolt 27 is projected through the passage 19 with the headdisposed in the recess 20, and has engaged over its opposite end portionthe sparking tip 28, similar to the arm 23, and having an enlarged basecentrally perforated for engagement over the bolt 27. A suitableterminal connection is made with the tip 28 and a wire 29 by means ofsuitable nuts 30 engaged over the outer portion of the bolt 27, the wirebeing extended to a suitable switch 31 disposed upon the dashboard. Fromthe switch 31 suitable connections are made with the spark plug of themotor, by means of the Wire 32, as illustrated.

An alternative system of wiring is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig.l, which consists in extending the wire 32' to the secondary terminal ofthe spark coil or other source of high potential current instead of tothe spark plug, the connections with the switch and burner being thesame.

It will be seen from the foregoing that an extremely novel and simpleigniter for motor vehicle gas lanips is provided, the number of partsrequired being reduced to a minimum partly through the coperation of theterminal member 21 with the block lat for holding the device upon theburner, forming the ground, and providing a spark terminal.

lhat is claimed is:

An ig'niting device for acetylene gas burners, comprising a block ofinsulation having a semi-circular groove formed in one face for thereception of the stem of the burner, a metal plate secured to said blockhaving a semi circular body portion fitting around said burner stem tohold said block thereto, bolts passing through said metal plate and saidinsulated block, said bolts forming binding posts for electricalconnections, said plate having a Vertical portion, the upwardly free endof which is bentl inwardly over the burner tip, a second metal platesecured on the opposite side of said insulated block, the upper' freeend of which is bent inwardly over the burner tip to a point adjacentthe first mentioned extension, a bolt having its head countersunk in oneface of the insulated block and securing said second named plate to saidblock, one end of said bolt providing a binding screw for the otherterminal for electrical connections, said inwardly turned portions ofthe plates providing a spark gap for igniting the burner.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRED V. HILL. lVitnesses C. 7. VHERRY, 7. B. Ronenns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 6.

